This week under Bocce news I've written about the weight of bocce balls. I hope you will read it, and, if you have info to add, will REPLY. My son and I are hoping to finish our bocce ball video for YouTube soon. We have trouble getting the time to work on it as he is almost as involved in projects as I am. But, we will persevere.

As my son and I have been working on a video on bocce balls, we've noticed a great disparity in weight from one 107 mm ball to the next.

Here's how things look to me. If you have other info that our readers should know about, please REPLY.

I'm not recommending one ball over another, just bringing some info to light. Of course, I prefer the standards of 107 mm and 920 g, but, you make the call!

I used a standard postal scale labeled "DYMO by Pelouze". It has a capacity of 5 lb / 2.2 kg. First I set the scale for metric weight, then place a washer in the center. It weighs in at 33 g every time. Next I hit a button that zeroes out the scale with the washer on it (basically subtracts the 33 g). Next I place a bocce ball on the washer and read the weight.

How accurate is this scale? I suspect it is about as accurate as we might need for this kind of experiment.

It appears that more and more retailers are narrowing in on selling 107 mm balls. Like in basketball or baseball, people tend to want to purchase the "standard" or accepted size.

All the balls I weighed purported to be 107mm, but the weights varied.

First I weighed the high end Italian made balls from Perfetta and SuperMartel and even a couple of old Cast balls. These came in "spot on" at 920 g. One set that I have played with more than the others came in at 921 or 922 g (maybe they picked up a gram or two of dirt along the way).

Remember, these are the sets of 4 that retail for $200 or more - usually with a carry bag being an extra. Perfetta does include a pallino.

Playaboule refers to these as the One Team 4 Ball sets -"These sets are ALL precision ground and calibrated to be exactly 107mm dia and 920gms - per the rules, the ONLY official size and weight for international competition play." These four ball sets retail from $195 to $285. Visit http://www.Playaboule.com .

SuperMartel sets are available from Michael Grasser at http://www.DavinciBocce.com . Again, these are four-ball sets, no carry bag included, no pallino. Current retail prices are from $200 to $245 per four-ball set. From Grasser's website, "Super Martel Bocce Balls are made of the highest grade plastics available and formulated specifically for bocce play. They are calibrated to be perfectly round and balanced. In pointing, they start straight and finish straight. When shooting, they have the anti-rebound characteristics that the professionals demand. Get the best, Buy Super Martel."

Next I weighed the Club Pro set from Playaboule. These are a recreation set of 4 red, 4 green, pallino, and carry bag. They are 107 mm and the eight balls weighed in at 932, 934, 934, 937, 939, 939, 943, 944. The twelve to 24 g difference would probably not be noticeable to anyone except for the most avid of players, if at all.

The recreation set from SuperMartel (no longer available at DaVincibicce.com) came in a tad heavier but pretty consistent at 950, 950, 950, 951, 951, 951, 952, 952 g. Set also comes with carry bag and pallino.

Next I weighed the American made 8-ball sets from EPCO and St. Pierre.

The EPCO eight came in at 995, 999, 1004, 1006, 1006, 1012, 1020, 1032. Retails at BocceBallsets.com and on-line for $120 to $150.

The St. Pierre set (in a wooden box) came in at 1009, 1009, 1010, 1011, 1012, 1012, 1013, 1014. Retails at BocceBallsets.com for $139.99.

Next I checked the weight of the blue and gold balls in the set from BocceNation.com. They're the guys with the all in one bag of bocce goodies including the balls, scoreboard, measuring device, and portable court. They're also the ones with the bocce app mentioned a few issues back (already over a million downloads). Bocce in a bag retails for $139.

The balls weighed in at 950, 956, 961, 962, 966, 972, 972, and 973g. Retails at Boccenation.com for $139.

Finally, I weighed a set of Eddie Bauer that comes in a briefcase-like carry bag. The balls came in at 1208, 1213, 1217, 1218, 1219, 1225, and a surprising 1273 and 1281. These had the biggest variation in weights. Carrying the balls in the carry case seems like it could be a hernia inducing event. I believe these balls are made in China and have extra filler and a hardening agent added. Most of the balls that you might find for sale in sporting goods stores or at places like say, Target will probably have been made inexpensively in China, then marked up for sale in the states.

Playaboule has an interesting explanation of how the balls are made here:

It appears that the only way to get balls that are 107 mm and 920 g is to purchase one of two sets of Italian made balls that are currently available in the states. You could purchase a set of 4 Perfetta from http://www.Playaboule.com . You could also purchase a set of 4 SuperMartel ( http://www.DaVinciBocce.com ).

Now if you use these balls on carpet and or polyurethane courts like at the Palazzo di Bocce or Campo di Bocce they'll keep their luster for a long time. But if you use them on stone dust, granite fines, Har-Tru, oyster shell, etc. they'll eventually lose their beautiful shine.

Another option then would be to purchase the recreation set of 8 balls, carry bag and pallino from Playaboule. Currently they retail for $129 and, at about an average weight of 938, they are only 18 grams over the international standard which is "in the ball park", so to speak. It's a trade-off - $129 for the full set vs. $200 plus for the set of 4.

If you prefer American made balls, my EPCO set came in at an average weight of 1009 and the St. Pierre came in at 1011. Both are about 90 g over, but again, it's a trade off at just 3 oz. over.

Finally, the Boccenation set gets you "All In" for the purchase price and an average weight of 964 g (44 g over the 920).

"Saturday, May 21 starting at 8 AM the Mount Vernon Bocce Club will host its annual Spring Tournament.

This is a USBF sanctioned tournament. Every participant must be a registered 2011 USBF member. This will be a 4 player per team tournament.

Participants without a membership card MUST register prior to the start of the tournament.

The cost for first time members is $5.00 and $15.00 for returning members. (This is a separate charge and does NOT include the entrance fee for the tournament). The entrance fee for the tournament is $30.00 per person and includes food and beverage."

"I have a customer I cant help, but maybe you could get me to the right outlet. He is looking for the traditional stone balls, and I cant seem to find them anywhere. (I also want to get a set for myself.) Anywhere you can point me to help this bocce fan?"

{I don't think bocce balls were ever made of stone. They'd be all different weights.

They were wood, they were wood with nails driven into them, they were metal, and they were phenolic resin/plastic, but I don't think they were ever made of stone.

In this country the market is for an inexpensive set of balls. But championship events around the world are played with bocce balls that cost over $200 US for a set of 4 (usually no pallino, no bag). But they are constructed of high grade plastic - precision weight and spherical - precisely 920 g and 107 mm.}

My son and I are working on another video on bocce balls, but it is slow going as he and I both have so many projects going on at the same time. We want it to be something useful and helpful to people, so we keep on making changes. Hope to have it posted on YouTube soon. Patience is a virtue!

My group is running the Massachusetts Senior Games Bocce once again (I'm on the Mass. Senior Games Board of Directors). We'll host it this year at the Sons of Italy Lodge #902 at 155 Marston St. in Lawrence, Massachusetts. See the listing below under Tourneys on April 30, 2011.

Our non-profit group is the Ken Waldie Senior Sports Circuit, Inc. We're named after my friend Ken Waldie who was on one of the flights that hit the WTC on 9/11. We play senior sports (age 50 and up) in bocce, basketball, and softball. Ken was the only guy in the history of the Naval Academy to be elected president of his class all four years - a remarkable accomplishment! Learn more about Ken here:

If you'd like to make a contribution to our organization that keeps Ken's name alive and provides healthy physical activities for seniors, click here and know that it will be appreciated and put to good use.

And come and join us for bocce if you will be in the neighborhood on Saturday, April 30. You'll have a great time on three carpeted courts, dine on fine Italian food, enjoy spirited bocce play and vie for CMBBR (Commonwealth of Massachusetts Bocce Bragging Rights!).

Attached is all of the information you need for the National Mixed, Men's, and Women's Doublette Tournaments in Fresno, California on May 14 & 15.

Attached are:

FPUSA forms for each tournament

An Information Sheet outlining a number of Affiliated Activities for the weekend.
An order form for all tournaments and Affiliated Activities
Directions to each of the activities and basic information about hotels in the area.

If you have any questions, please contact me here. I'll do what I can to help.

On June 4, 2011 Campo di Bocce of Los Gatos will be hosting a men's only two man raffa tournament. This is an exciting event because there are not many two man, round robin Raffa tournaments that take place. It will be a money tournament and the entry fee is $50 per player.

Since this is 3 weeks before the 2011 United States Bocce Championships, I am certain that there will be a ton of teams that will be signing up to prepare for the upcoming Championships!

The format is going to be the same as the doubles portion of Match play, each team will have 4 balls, with each teammate rolling two balls. Each team can have an alternate if they so choose. Alternates pay the same as a rostered player.

Fasten your seatbelts everyone, this event brings out all the heavy hitters every year! The best of the best will come out to compete for the title of Western Sector Bocce Champions, June 11, 2011.

Campo di Bocce of Livermore is excited to be the host of this coveted annual event. And since this year, the 2011 United States Bocce Championships are only two weeks following, everyone will be doing their fine tuning so that they can compete at the highest level!

Play will begin at 8AM with registration at 7AM. It will be a round robin format, with the top two teams from each division advancing to the playoffs. I am not certain how many teams will be allowed to enter, so enter soon that you do not get left out.

A continental breakfast and Buffet lunch will be served. Tell your family and friends all about it and let's pack the house!

We should all be card carrying members. Every club should be affiliated. For the sport to gain the attention it needs we need to boast of many thousands of members. Download a USBF Membership Application here:

I'm continuing to permanently re-post some of the old photos of the week. These are now part of Bocce Venues on the Joy of Bocce website. This week's entries were originally posted back in Volume 1 - Issue 14 on April 8, 2002.

The courts belong to the Mt. Carmel Society in the south end of Springfield, Massachusetts. For our sport to grow, we need to get more courts in the public sector. Although these courts are private, members and guests can use them as long as league action is not in progress.

The two courts are 10' by 76'. These dimensions are widely promoted by Western Mass. Bocce Guru Rico Daniele. The courts are right around the corner from his family business, Mom & Rico's Specialty Market. If you are in the neighborhood, you can visit the Basketball Hall of Fame which is close to the Market and you can peruse all the bocce paraphernalia that Rico retails in a corner of the store.

In the photos you should note the gradually increasing height of the boards near the ends. Western Mass. players tend to be hard hitters and balls (especially the pallino) occasionally deflect into the stands. The added height is for safety and to keep balls in play.

Note also the clock-face scoreboard. Games go to a score of 12. When a team reaches eleven, players often refer to it as "Eleven o'clock." Note too the swing board - Western Mass. players tend to keep the ball live if it hits the backboard even if it hit no other ball first.

Ive seen all kinds of home-made court maintenance brushes and scrapers. Two things have always struck me about them. 1  they look like they are home-made and 2  they tend to be HEAVY.

7' Drag Brush

Manufactured by Lee Tennis (makers of the Har-Tru surface material), this court maintenance tool created for tennis courts works exceptionally well for bocce courts. The 7-foot drag brush is light-weight and, even if you have a 13- or 14-foot wide court, you can smooth it over with just two passes. This is quick enough to do between games without keeping players waiting very long.

Bristles are 4 ½ inches of synthetic fibers and the strong but light-weight frame is aluminum. Retails for $179.95 plus shipping.

Lute/scarifier

This strangely named 30 wide device is actually two implements in one. It is an all-aluminum combination tool for scarifying, leveling, and removing loose court material.

Strong and sturdy, the tool is light enough to handle with ease and is excellent for spreading new material during top-dressing. The concave shape of the 30 wide blade allows the tool to float along the surface without digging in. Use the serrated edge to scrape material from high spots, then flip the tool over to rake and smooth that spot and drag the loose material to fill in a lower point. Retails for $69.95 plus shipping.

Besides a heavy roller, the lute/scarifier and 7-foot drag brush should be all the maintenance tools a bocce court owner needs.

Please - anyone running a tournament - do me a favor - put a notice near your tourney bracket board informing players that they can go to http://www.joyofbocce.com and "opt in" for my FREE Ezine on bocce. Click the logo to the right to opt in if you do not already receive this ezine every Monday.

Please consider designating someone as "official event photographer" and directing that person to send snapshots for us to reproduce as photos of the week. Our readers love seeing bocce action from around the continent.

June 3, 4, 5, 2011. Pennsylvania - Bessemer. The 2nd Annual USAbocce.com 4 Person Tournament for The Special Olympics will be held at the Bessemer Croatian Club. More information will be posted @ http://www.usabocce.com/ . This will be the highest pay-out tournament in Pennsylvania."

Check out the first-rate equipment we offer. The finest measuring devices for bocce (made in UK by Prohawk for lawn bowling, petanque, and bocce) - the finest bocce balls in the world (made in Italy by Perfetta) and the number one selling instructional book on bocce in America - Check them out.Check out the merchandise